WHY Liberals

Question 1

INTRO

Background and LofA

Answer 1

Liberal landslide, introduced reforms to help the young, the sick, the old, the unemployed.
End to ‘laissez-faire’
Reforms to end squalor of industrial revolution

Fears over national security most important tbh

Question 2

RISE OF LABOUR

KAKA+KA+E

Answer 2

Established by Keir Hardie 1900, from trade unions
5 seats 1900, 29 in 1906
Important as liberals needed lower class votes to compete with tories
However Liberals make no mention of reform in their 06 manifesto
Shows they can’t have been overly concerned about labour or they would’ve been more open in campaigning
29 seats not very many compared to Liberals 122 seat majority
E: DLG: “Labour will only oust the liberals if we fail to cope seriously with the social condition of the people”

Question 3

FEARS OVER NATIONAL SECURITY

KAKAKAE

Answer 3

Boer War recruitment 1899, over 1/4 men fail medical, in industrial towns, nearly half.
Alarming politicians over security of empire
1904 interdepartmental committee, set up over concerns, recommends free school meals and medical examinations
Significant as they formed basis of 1906 school meals act and 1907 medical inspections, clearly gov took issue seriously / acted
Germany threatening Brit industrial supremacy, esp. coal / steel
Gov wanted to maintain dominance of empire
E: John Kerr “as a direct result of these concerns [over the security of the empire]”

Question 4

SOCIAL SURVEYS OF BOOTH AND ROWNTREE

KAKAA+E

Answer 4

Booth 1899 “Life and Labour of the People of London” revealed 0.9% class A (idle/criminals), remaining 32% below poverty line unable to improve no matter what
Debunked self help!
Rowntree “a study of town life” York, proved poverty cycle, ppl poorest when too young or old to work
Reforms targeted this, must have drawn attention !
MPs challenged findings, York / London exceptional cases

E: Alan Sykes: “The high proportion of army volunteers from the large towns rejected as physically unfit appeared to confirm the alarming findings of Booth and Rowntree”.

Question 5

NEW LIBERALISM

KAKA+E

Answer 5

Campbell Bannerman death 1908, Asquith PM able to appoint other NLs (WC/DLG)
However, only a front for political advantage
Eg WC later defecting to conservatives for political gain??
Historians Grahm Goodlad and Richard Staton echo this evaluation by saying: “Fear of “socialism” may well have encouraged the Liberals to bring forward their own reforms, so that there would be no need for the masses to turn to Labour.”

Question 6

MUNICIPAL SOCIALISM

KAKA+E

Answer 6

Local tax authorities redistributing wealth, eg 1873 Joseph Chambairlain, mayor of Birmingham, taking control of water and gas works and clearing many slums
Showed people that socialism could work!
Opposed by rich upper class.
Eric Evans
“The most important precondition for the spate of social reforms between 1905 and 1914 was fear of the consequences of an unfit and debilitated population